JP2558983Y2 - Bill handling equipment - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a banknote handling apparatus such as a banknote change machine and a vending machine, and more particularly, to a banknote handling apparatus provided with a device for preventing withdrawal of inserted banknotes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a bill handling apparatus of this type includes a discriminating unit (called a validator) for determining the authenticity or failure of a bill inserted by a central control unit (CPU) based on detection data by a microcomputer. Equipped,
Here, only bills determined to be appropriate bills are passed. The passed banknotes are transported by the transport unit and stored in a storage box (stacker). In addition, a pull-out prevention device is provided in the middle of the transport unit to prevent illegally pulling out inserted bills. In the pull-out prevention device, for example, a movable lever for detecting passage of a bill is provided in a transport path, and this detection lever is configured to rotate when the leading end of the bill passing through the discrimination unit comes into contact. The operation of the detection lever is regarded as passage of a bill, and is detected by an optical sensor such as a photocoupler. The CPU monitors the signal sent from the optical sensor by comparing it with a predetermined signal detection time corresponding to the length from the leading end to the trailing end of the bill. If the signal detection time is the set value, it is determined that the bill is not fraudulent. However, if you plan to illegally pull out a bill once inserted and fasten a sheet material with almost the same width dimension as the bill at the rear end of the bill, even after the bill passes through the movable lever, it can move The lever will still maintain its operating position due to the incorrect sheet material. Therefore, since the optical sensor continues to transmit a signal even after the set signal detection time has elapsed, the CPU detects this abnormality and recognizes that illegal means has been taken on the inserted bill. At this time, an emergency signal is transmitted to stop the subsequent operation of the apparatus such as the transport unit. Warnings such as emergency alarms may be issued as needed. In addition, as another pull-out prevention device, a claw-shaped return prevention lever is urged by a spring and installed so as to be able to protrude and retract from the conveyance path.
The banknotes come into contact with each other and the return blocking lever is retracted into the passage so as to pass over it. After the passage of the bill, the return preventing lever projects onto the passage by the spring. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to pull back the bill by pulling the above-mentioned illegal member fixed to the rear end of the bill such as a string, the bill is caught by the return blocking lever protruding above the transport passage and is blocked. Structure.

[0003]

However, in the case of a bill passing detection system using a detection lever, an illegal tool fixed to the rear end of the bill is a thin material having a small width such as a string, a wire and a bar. In this case, it is possible to dodge this thin material to avoid contact with the detection lever. Therefore, since the movable lever returns to the original position after the passage of the bill, the CPU recognizes that the signal detection time is the predetermined value, and the apparatus continues to operate as it is. Therefore,
Subsequent pulling of the thin material has the disadvantage that unauthorized removal of banknotes is possible. Also, in the case of a device using a return blocking lever that protrudes and retracts in the transport passage, the return blocking lever does not cover the entire width of the transport passage, and has a structure in which it protrudes and retracts only at the center of the width of the passage. Therefore, the illegal member for pulling out fixed to the rear end of the inserted bill,
In the case of a sheet material that has almost the same width as the passage width,
Even after the passage of the bill, the return prevention lever is kept pressed from above by the unauthorized sheet material and cannot protrude into the passage. By pulling the illegal sheet material in this state, it is possible to illegally pull out the inserted banknote, and the function as the pull-out preventing device cannot be performed. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a banknote handling device that is effective in preventing the removal of banknotes regardless of the shape of the illegal withdrawal tool, whether it is a wide plate, a bar, or a thin material such as a wire. I have.

[0004]

In the bill handling apparatus according to the present invention, the discriminating unit includes a control means for discriminating the authenticity and failure of the input bill, and the bill passing through the discriminating unit is transported by the transport unit and sent to the stacker. Hits the,
A pull-out prevention device that operates by contacting a bill passing through the discrimination unit is provided in the transport passage of the transport unit.
This anti-pull-out device has a movable lever that has the same width as the transport passage, intersects, and is rotatably supported on the base end as a fulcrum by the contact force when the bill abuts on the leading end portion. The movable lever is provided with a receiving hole where the tip of the movable lever is disengaged, the movable lever does not rotate due to the contact of the bill and does not hinder the passage of the bill, and after the passage of the bill, the leading end engages with the transport passage receiving hole. It is designed to prevent bills from retreating. Also,
The present invention includes detection means for detecting from the start of the operation of the movable lever rotating by the contact of the leading end of the bill to the passage of the trailing end of the bill and the return of the movable lever to the return position, and the control means detects the detection from the detection means. The signal transmission time is monitored, and when a predetermined time is exceeded, an emergency signal for stopping the operation of the apparatus including the transport unit is transmitted.

[0005]

The inserted bill is verified in the discrimination unit for its authenticity and defect, and when passed as a proper bill, the bill is passed. The bill passing through the discrimination unit is sent to the stacker by the transport unit. When a wide sheet material is fixed to the rear end of the bill for the purpose of illegally pulling out the bill once inserted, the curtain member of the movable lever is prevented from rotating by the contact of the leading end of the bill. The detection means starts detection by the operation of the movable lever. Originally, the detecting means detects the passage to the trailing end of the bill and sends a signal to the controlling means, but since there is an incorrect sheet material at the trailing end of the bill, even if the bill has completely passed, it contacts the sheet material As a result, the detection signal continues to be sent to the control means. The control means is programmed with a signal detection time corresponding to the length from the leading end to the trailing end of the regular bill, and constantly monitors this. Therefore, since the predetermined signal detection time is exceeded for the sheet material, it is determined that the sheet is improperly inserted, and a stop signal is transmitted to the apparatus. Further, if the illegal tool is not a wide sheet material but a thin material such as a string material or a wire material fastened to the rear end of the inserted bill, it may pass through the movable lever. When the movable lever returns to the pre-operation position by passing through the movable lever, the detection means transmits a signal for a predetermined signal transmission time corresponding to the length of the bill. in this case,
The control means controls as usual. After that, when trying to pull out the bill once inserted by pulling the thin illegal member,
Since the movable lever returns to the posture before the operation and the leading end is engaged with the receiving hole of the transport passage, the movable lever is shut off to prevent the bill from retreating.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a bill handling apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a side view of the device of the embodiment. The main part of the device has passed through the frame 2, which constitutes the outer shell of the device, the discriminating unit 10, which detects an element for discriminating the authenticity and the defect of the inserted bill 1, and performs discrimination based on the detection signal, and the discrimination unit 10. The transport unit 20 is configured to transport the banknotes 1 and the stacker 50 that stores the banknotes 1 sent from the transport unit 20.

In FIG. 1, a validator (discriminating unit) 10 is detachably fixed to an upper portion of the housing 2 and has a bill insertion port 11 on the front side. Is connected to the transport guide 22 of the next transport unit 20. The validator 10 is provided with detection means for detecting various elements for determining the authenticity of the passing bill and the bad bill. Usually, the judgment factors include the paper quality, color, and printing ink components of ordinary banknotes. One of the means for detecting these various determination elements
First, a sensor for reading a print pattern of a bill is arranged in the middle of the transport path. The detection sensor for pattern reading consists of a pair of light-emitting and light-receiving elements,
These two elements are arranged so as to be perpendicular to the conveying direction and to be opposed to the upper and lower sides of the passage, and the bill is passed between the two elements. That is, light is irradiated on the bill passing between the two elements to detect light and dark, and the print pattern is recognized. For example, by arranging a magnetic head, the magnetism of a passing bill is detected or the optical characteristics are detected, and this detection signal is sent to a central control unit (CPU) by a microcomputer, where the detection signal is sent. Is performed to determine the authenticity of the bill.

[0008] As shown in FIGS.
0 is stored in the frame 2 of the apparatus frame, and the validator 10 is connected to the connection entrance 22a of the conveyance guide 22 forming the conveyance path.
Connected to the side passage outlet. The rear end outlet 22b of the transport guide 22 is connected to the cassette 51 (see FIG. 5) of the stacker 50. Further, an endless transport belt 23 is wound around a plurality of pulleys 24a to 24c along the transport guide 22, and the banknote 1 passing through the validator 10 comes into contact with the activated transport belt 23 and is transported by the frictional force. It is fed into the stacker 50 while being guided by the guide 22. Transport guide 2
Press pulleys 24d to 24f are arranged in a set with a plurality of pulleys 24a to 24c in order to facilitate the transport of the banknote 1 by the transport belt 2 and the transport belt 23.

Further, the transport unit 20 is provided with a motor 25 as a drive source for operating the transport belt 23. The motor 25 is controlled by the CPU to perform a drive linked to the operation of the validator 10 side. I have. That is, the tip position of the bill 1 that has passed through the validator 10 is detected by a light emitting element such as a diode or a sensor using a light receiving element,
Based on this detection signal, the CPU sends an operation signal to the motor 25 to operate it. As shown in FIG. 2, the rotation of the motor 25 is transmitted to a pulley 25e on a shaft 25d via a toothed belt 25c wound around a gear 25b on an output shaft 25a. The above-described belt driving pulley 24a is fixed on the shaft 25d, and rotation is transmitted to the transport belt 23 using the pulley 24a as a driving side.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the transport unit 20 has a pull-out preventing device, which is the gist of the present invention, in a portion of the transport guide 22 near the connection inlet 22a connected to the validator 10. 21 are arranged. Device 21
The support rods 21h supported by the frame 2 so as to intersect with the transport guides 22 are supported along the support rods 21h to the full length thereof, that is, substantially the full width of the transport path, and are rotatably supported. A plurality of movable levers 21a to 21d,
A sensor (detection means) 60 such as a photocoupler for detecting the operation of the movable lever 21d on the end side of the movable levers 21a to 21d is used as a main member. In the embodiment, a plurality of movable levers 21 processed as a single unit
Although a structure in which a to 21d are arranged side by side in a claw shape is shown, a structure in which these are integrated may of course be used. There is a considerable space between the pair of conveyance guides 22 on both sides, where a wide plate-shaped movable lever 21f having the same function as the movable levers 21a to 21d is provided as a support rod 21h.
Is rotatably supported.

The movable levers 21a to 21d whose base ends are supported by the support rods 21h have free ends at their ends, and each open end is provided with a considerable number of receiving holes 22c formed in the transport guide 22 by its own weight. Have been involved. Accordingly, when the bill 1 that has passed through the validator 10 enters the connection inlet 22a of the transport guide 22, the movable levers 21a to 21d rotate around the support rod 21h by the contact force at which the leading end of the bill 1 contacts. That is, the rotation of the banknote 1 is avoided to prevent the banknote 1 from passing.

The movable lever 21d on the end side is different from the other movable levers 21a to 21c in shape, and is provided with a bent sensor engagement portion 21e at the tip. A sensor 61 is provided at a position corresponding to the movable lever 21d arranged on the end side, and the movable lever 21d rotates by contact with the tip of the bill together with the other movable levers 21a to 21c, as shown in FIG. The sensor engagement portion 21e at the tip is
One detection slit 62 can be engaged. The sensor 61 is always energized, and passes light between the light emitting side and the light receiving side with the detection slit 62 interposed therebetween. Therefore, the sensor engaging portion 21e of the movable lever 21d is engaged with the detection slit 62, and the light emission of the sensor 61 is cut off to transmit a signal detected by the sensor 61 to the CPU.

As is apparent from FIG. 2, intermediate gears 26a and 26b are rotatably supported on a shaft 25g of a pulley 24c on the driven side on which the conveyor belt 23 is wound. The passive gear 44 of the pushing unit 40 mounted inside the cassette 51 of the stacker 50 shown in FIG. That is, the stacker 5
0 is inserted into the frame 2 of the apparatus, and the passive gear 44 of the pushing unit 40 on the side of the stacker 50 is
6b to be screwed together. Stacker 50 for stocking the sent bills in cassette 51
Is detachable by inserting it into the frame 2 of the apparatus from the left side in FIG. The cassette 51 is formed in a rectangular box shape, and is slid in and out by engaging with guide rails provided on both inner walls of the apparatus frame 2.

The upper part of the cassette 51 is open, and the pushing unit 30 is assembled and closed in this opening. The pushing unit 30 has a substrate 31 and a pushing plate 32 that are substantially parallel in the vertical direction, and the upper pushing substrate 31 is connected to an opening of the cassette 51 as a closing bottom plate or a top plate, so that the entire pushing unit 30 is a cassette. 51 is carried on the upper part. The push plate 32 can move parallel to and away from the substrate 31 by a moving mechanism such as expansion and contraction. That is, the two link members 33, 33 are hinged to each other in an X-shape at the center shaft 34 in the longitudinal direction. The link members 33, 33 connected in an X-shape allow the lower push plate 32 to move relative to the upper substrate 31 by approaching or separating.

Next, an operation mode and an operation of the embodiment device having the above configuration will be described. When using the cassette 51
Inserts the empty stacker 50 into the frame 2 of the apparatus. At this time, the passive gear 44 of the pushing unit 40 is connected to the intermediate gear 26b of the transport unit 20 by the insertion operation of the stacker 50, and both teeth mesh with each other. That is, the drive unit 30 is directly connected to the transport unit 20 so that the rotational driving force can be transmitted to the pushing unit 30.

When the bill 1 is inserted into the validator 10,
It is checked by a built-in CPU based on detection data such as the amount of transmitted light of the banknote 1. For example, the level of whether or not the transmitted light amount is within the range of the set value is determined. If the level is out of the level, the inserted bill 1 is not regarded as a true bill, and the bill is sent to the inserted shooter side. return. Defective bills that are partially missing are also returned. The banknote 1 identified as a bill is guided by the transport guide 22 by the operation of the transport unit 20, contacts the transport belt 23, and is sent toward the stacker 50 by this frictional force. The motor 25 of the drive source operates in the forward rotation direction according to an operation signal from the CPU. During this time, the pushing unit 3
The one-way clutch type transmission pulley 46 on the zero side idles,
The forward rotation drive of the transport unit 20 is not transmitted to the pushing unit 30 side.

Here, the banknote 1 that has passed through the validator 10
Means that the bill 1 that has passed through the validator 10 is
When the movable entrances 21a to 2
The tip of the bill 1 contacts 1d. This contact force rotates each of the movable levers 21a to 21d about the support rod 21h as a fulcrum. Movable lever 21
The rotation of d causes the sensor engagement portion 21e at the tip to
Of the sensor 61, the light emission of the sensor 61 is cut off, and this detection signal is transmitted to the CPU. CPU
In the above, the signal sent from the sensor 61 is monitored by comparison with a predetermined signal detection time corresponding to the length from the leading end to the trailing end of the bill 1.

Therefore, if the signal detection time is the set value,
It is determined that the bill 1 is not fraudulent. However, in order to illegally pull out the inserted banknote 1, the banknote 1
In some cases, a sheet material having substantially the same width as the bill is fastened to the rear end of the bill. In such a case, even after the bill 1 has passed through the movable lever 21d, the sensor engaging portion 21e of the movable lever 21d is still in the sensor 6 position due to the improper sheet material.
The state is engaged with the first detection slit 62, and the signal continues to be transmitted even after the set signal detection time has passed. The CPU detects this abnormality, recognizes that illegal means has been taken on the inserted banknote 1, and sends an emergency signal to stop the subsequent operation of the apparatus such as the transport unit 20. Warnings such as emergency alarms may be issued as needed.

On the other hand, when the illegal tool fixed to the rear end of the banknote 1 is a thin material such as a string or a stick, this fine material is sensed by the wide central movable lever 21f, and even after passing through the bill. When the sensor engaging portion 21e of the movable lever 21d is engaged with the detection slit 62 as in the case of the above-described unauthorized sheet material, the CPU can recognize that this is abnormal.

It is assumed that an illegal thin material is used for all the movable levers 21.
a through 21d and 21f, the sensor 61
Is a signal with a predetermined signal transmission time upon passage of banknote 1
Will be sent to the PU. That is, the loading of the banknote 1 is regarded as normal. However, after that, even if the thin material is pulled in order to pull out the banknote 1 once taken in, even if the tip of the movable levers 21a to 21d is pulled into the receiving hole 2 of the transport guide 22,
2c, the movable levers 21a to 21c
The 21d and the movable lever 21f function as a non-return function to prevent the bill 1 from being pulled back when the rear end of the bill 1 is caught.

[0021]

As described above, the bill handling device according to the present invention has a configuration in which the pull-out preventing device is arranged in the transport path following the validator. Even if a tool for withdrawal is fixed to the rear end of the bill, regardless of the shape of the illegal tool, such as a wide plate, a bar, or a thin wire, the bill can be effectively removed. Can be stopped.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a bill handling device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a transport unit of the bill handling device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pull-out prevention device of a main part of the transport unit.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a signal detection mode in a sensor (detection unit) of the pullout prevention device.

FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of an assembly of the cassette integrated with the pushing unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. . 1. Bill inserted; . Device frame; 10. . Validator (identification unit), 20. . Transport unit, 2
1. . Pullout prevention devices, 21a to 21d and 21f. .
Movable lever, 21e. . 22. sensor engagement portion; . Transport guide, 22a. . Connection inlet, 22c. . Receiving hole, 2
5. . Motor, 30. . Pushing unit, 50. . Stacker, 51. . Cassette, 60. . Detection means, 62. . Detection slit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Katsutoshi Okawa 1-9-15 Kanumadai, Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan Sagamihara Research Laboratories, Japan Cash Machine Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A bill handling device in which a discrimination unit includes control means for discriminating authenticity and a defect of a bill inserted therein, and a bill handling device which conveys a bill passed through the discrimination unit by a transport unit, sends the bill to a stacker, and stores the bill. A pull-out prevention device is provided in the transport path of the transport unit, and the pull-out prevention device has substantially the same width as the transport path and intersects, and when the banknote abuts on the leading end, the pull-out prevention device is brought into contact with the contact force. Equipped with a movable lever rotatably supported at the base end as a fulcrum, and provided in the transport path with a receiving hole to which the tip of the movable lever is disengaged. The bill handling device is characterized in that, after the bill has passed, the leading end portion is engaged in the transport passage receiving hole to prevent the bill from retreating. And a detecting means for detecting from the start of the operation of the movable lever by the contact of the leading end of the bill to the return of the movable lever to the return position after the trailing end of the bill passes. The bill handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission time of the detection signal is monitored, and when a predetermined time is exceeded, an emergency signal for stopping operation of the apparatus including the transport unit is transmitted.